The man who takes teddies to church

Argus title : I can’t bear to hear a child crying

The first time I saw Ron Bowman I was with my mother in St Peter’s Church. He arrived late and sat down across the aisle a few rows in front of us. I noticed that his legs seemed stiff and that he walked on crutches. He appeared to be in pain, but had one of the broadest smiles I’ve ever seen.

Over the weeks I’ve observed that Ron is a creature of habit and before each service begins, goes through the same routine. He hangs his hat on his crutch and then places a silver framed photograph on the narrow wooden shelf in front of him. Next to it, he positions seven or eight small soft toys, each of which is turned towards the altar, kneeling in apparent prayer.

Eventually, I became so intrigued that I asked him about the photograph and why he brought the toys to church. He replied: “It’s because of my wife”.

Veiled Threat

Argus Title : This Veiled Threat Must be Exposed

One day early last summer my daughter came home from school very distressed because of an incident she had witnessed.

She had watched a Muslim woman, who was covered from head to foot in traditional Islamic dress and carrying a baby, struggle onto a bus behind her husband. After she’d settled, the woman leaned forward to scratch her ankle, exposing a tiny expanse of bare skin. Without looking at her, or saying a word, her husband sharply slapped her hand.

Rachel Weeping for her Children

Argus title : Let Us Address the Issue of ‘Femicide’

see also : Moth in a Spider’s Web

Five Amish schoolgirls are dead, killed by a man who went into a Pennsylvania school, set the boys free, then bound ten girls hand and foot and shot them. He aimed at their heads at point blank range. The faces of both the living and the dead were horribly disfigured. Those who survived are critically injured.